Animal Planet is about to launch a new reality show featuring the former world heavyweight champ, Mike Tyson, taking on the more genteel sport of pigeon racing. The show, with a working title of ‘Taking on Tyson’, claims that it will bring viewers inside the “intensely competitive and bizarrely fascinating world of pigeon racing.”

I’m kind of leaning in the support of PETA on this one. Have you ever heard what comes out of Mike Tyson’s mouth? When asked about Lennox Lewis, Mike replied, “I want to rip out his heart and feed it to him. I want to kill people. I want to rip their stomachs out and eat their children.” Well, sure–there’s the genteel part of him. When asked about his notorious fight with Evander Holyfield, he said, “I felt Holyfield was using his head illegally. I told the referee I wasn’t getting any help, so I went back to the streets. I cannot defend it, but it happened.” Again, who wouldn’t bite the ear off of someone who was using their head illegally? That’s just a healthy part of competition, right? Is Mike Tyson even worried that he may not have the people skills to bring fans to his world of pigeon racing? “There are nine million people who see me in the ring and hate my guts. Most of them are white. That’s okay. Just spell my name right.”

Uh-huh. No worries Mike. Us white folk are all over that.

I am curious though, can a pigeon use their head illegally? It’s a good thing they don’t have big ol’ ears sticking out. I may have to watch one episode to see if he goes all ‘Alice Cooper’ on an opposing pigeon who breaks from the rules and goes “street” on him.